The present invention generally relates to electrical contacts of electrical connectors, and in particular relates to gender-neutral electrical contacts.
Electrical connector assemblies include electrical connectors that can attach to provide signal connections between electronic devices. In particular, each electrical connector includes electrical signal contacts that are provided as male that receive complementary female contacts, or female contacts that are inserted into complementary male contacts. The gender-specific contacts can require specialized connectors that are configured to connect with a mating connector. Furthermore, the connectors need to be precisely aligned for connection.
Hermaphroditic, or gender-neutral, electrical connectors have been introduced that allow for general interchangeability between connectors of a connector assembly. Conventional gender-neutral electrical contacts extend out from a housing, and have an offset region, such that the offset regions of contacts to be mated are aligned. Thus, when the connectors are mated, the offset regions of the electrical cam over each other, thereby causing resistance to insertion, and requiring an insertion force in order to mate the connectors. Unfortunately, the insertion force increases as the connectors are brought toward each other to their fully mated positions, which can lead to significant wear of the contacts.
What is therefore desired is an electrical connector having gender-neutral contacts that reduce the insertion forces with respect to conventional electrical connectors.